Adam John Pearce (born June 24, 1978) is an American professional wrestling executive and former professional wrestler. He is currently employed by WWE as Director of Live Events, producer, trainer, coach, and on-screen authority figure. He is a former five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, NWA British Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion, and PWG World Champion. He is also a member of the NWA Hall of Fame and a former full-time trainer and coach at the WWE Performance Center. Early life and training Pearce lettered in both football and baseball at Waukegan High School, in Waukegan, Illinois. Between his junior and senior years, Pearce suffered from acute muscular compartment syndrome in both of his lower legs and underwent surgery. As a result, he had to "pretty much learn how to walk all over again" and he stopped playing sports. During his convalescence, he met professional wrestling trainers Sonny Rogers and Randy Ricci, and began training with them in November 1995. Professional wrestling career Independent promotions (1996–2000) Pearce had his debut match on May 16, 1996, a few weeks before he graduated from high school. Pearce quickly began wrestling for independent professional wrestling promotions, especially in Milwaukee and other cities in Wisconsin. At this time, he also began traveling throughout Michigan with Dave Prazak, and he began working for Dan Curtis' Northern States Wrestling Alliance (NSWA). He was part of the "East Coast Invasion" angle where he had an early breakout match near Thanksgiving 1997 against Reckless Youth. Pearce sided with the local Michigan babyfaces charged with fighting off Youth, Don Montoya, Lance Diamond, and Twiggy Ramirez. A rematch between Pearce and Youth took place in Ian Rotten's Independent Wrestling Association Mid-South (IWA-Mid South) company, where Pearce had captured their IWA Mid-South Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Cash Flo. He began wrestling for most notably for Carmine DeSpirito's Mid American Wrestling promotion, and through DeSpirito was booked on a tour of Europe in 1998. Upon his return to the United States, he underwent further training at the Steel Domain Training Center, where he was the first student, under Ace Steel and Danny Dominion. Together Steel, Dominion, and Pearce became regulars in Minnesota, working under the St. Paul Championship Wrestling (later Steel Domain Wrestling) banner. Once again, Pearce's feud with Eaton grabbed headlines as they engaged in a Garbage Can Match. It was one of the first "ECW" style matches in the area. He went